I love "missing moments" from canon and I've been dying to see how Snape was able to take over as Headmaster without the other teachers resigning. I love the cat-and-mouse dialogue between Snape and Minerva and I loved the tactics he so skillfully employed to get her to stay. I loved Mcgonagall's strong will here and her fierce protective instincts. I'd love to see more Snape as Headmaster stories from you. Great fic!

Author's Response: Thanks, Violet Azure! I'm glad you let me know what you enjoyed about my story. My current work in progress is set in the time period of HBP, so is not a Headmaster Snape story, but definitely includes some "missing moments".

This was quite a moving piece to read.
I've wondered post-DH why Dumbledore
couldn't have confided the truth in one
other person, because it might at some
point after the battle have saved Snape, had he lived, and I figured that
Minerva would be the most likely. But
on reflection, with people like the
Carrows around, the risk of one look or
word giving it all away were too great.
And perhaps Albus never expected Severus
to survive anyway. He really was the
true hero of the books, IMO, and your
story really nails what he suffered.

Author's Response: Hi AmyLouise,
I completeley agree about Snape, sigh. I'm glad that my story conveyed the difficulty he faced, in that awful final year.
Thanks for your comments!

Oh, totally beautiful, totaly believable story! And that last line, about the tear, was absolutely the best to close with. He was remembering just *why* he was doing all this. Perfect, and I loved it!
BTW, I wrote a fanfic for the other end of Deathly Hallows, where Snape gets his portrait. It's posted here to Occlumency under the title "The Tribute" if you'd like to have a look. I think the two go together rather nicely: yours at the beginning of the school year, mine at the end!
Thanks again for sharing.
Alison

Great story! My 3rd reading, so I must like it. As to why Minerva can't be told to give Severus ONE (conscious) ally, M. might have had the acting skills, but only Snape had the requisite skills in Occlumency to keep the secret against Riddle himself if/when he came on inspection.

This is a great story with lovely characterisation. Poor Snape ... was there ever a double agent so alone as he was? It's so sad that Minerva (whom I think rocks) wouldn't find out the truth about him until after his death. But I think that Dumbledore (annoying as it is to admit it) was right: to have let even one member of the Order know the truth would have been far, far too risky. Snape knew that, and was willing to pay the price.

Author's Response: Hi Pearl Took,
Thanks for your review of my story. I'm glad you enjoyed my characterizations of Minerva and Severus. And I quite agree with yous comments about the canon. *sigh*

No no no no! That last sentence is absolutely superfluous. Brilliant, in-character writing up to that point, including the omnipresent photograph, but really, you didn't need the tear.
The beginning drags a little, but you get into it and particularly the end of the conversation is a highly enjoyable read. It is a little off-putting to view things from Severus's perspective while he is still "Snape" throughout the story, but a lot of people do that, so I'll shut up about it. :D
I've been wondering myself how Snape could just return to Hogwarts after what he's done and I think your story (I keep writing "story" - it IS a one-shot, right?) could have had some more emphasis on why Severus did not, in fact, let Minerva in on the secret of his true loyalties. The portrait would have been cast-iron proof and really, it would have made the following year much more agreeable for him. The risk can't have been THAT high.
Anyway, I am digressing. Thanks for the read. :)

No no no no! That last sentence is absolutely superfluous. Brilliant, in-character writing up to that point, including the omnipresent photograph, but really, you didn't need the tear.
The beginning drags a little, but you get into it and particularly the end of the conversation is a highly enjoyable read. It is a little off-putting to view things from Severus's perspective while he is still "Snape" throughout the story, but a lot of people do that, so I'll shut up about it. :D
I've been wondering myself how Snape could just return to Hogwarts after what he's done and I think your story (I keep writing "story" - it IS a one-shot, right?) could have had some more emphasis on why Severus did not, in fact, let Minerva in on the secret of his true loyalties. The portrait would have been cast-iron proof and really, it would have made the following year much more agreeable for him. The risk can't have been THAT high.
Anyway, I am digressing. Thanks for the read. :)

Author's Response: Hi crockywock! Thanks for your comments. The intro and the final line were both there, in my head, to underline the general awfulness of Snape's situation. Perhaps, as you say, the omnipresent photo does the trick without additional elaboration.
I presume that the decision not to inform anyone in the Order/on the staff was Dumbledore's call. He had a whole school year in which to tell someone while still alive, and didn't, so I don't see why his portrait would change its mind. Did he see the risk as great, if so, as you say, why? Did it not cross his mind that Snape might actually care about the good opinion of his fellow teachers? I don't know yet. :D
I tend to think it was the risk. He trusts Snape to keep up the act, but not the other teachers/Order members. His instruction to Harry to tell noone of the Horcruxes is very much in the same vein.

tpel

2007.08.24 - 03:42PM

1: Return to Hogwarts

Anonymous

What an excellent little vignette! I love how you have Snape brush off Dumbledore's friendly overtures and really felt his pain at Minerva's hatred. She, too, was beautifully in-character -- pissed off, but willing to do whatever it takes to protect the students.

Author's Response: Hi tpel!
I am glad that you liked it! Dumbledore knowingly fostered the same (seemingly false) expectations in Harry and Snape, that the goal was for Harry to survive and defeat Voldemort. Just as Harry was upset by this seeming betrayal when the learned "the truth" from Snape, Snape was too, and I am not sure his relationship with Dumbledore would have returned to where it seemed to be in the Ring scene, for example. Harry, of course, forgave Dumbledore once he learned that Dumbledore *did* want him to live, and gave him the advice he thought would bring about that end. Snape went to his death not knowing that the information he provided Harry *was* precidely what Harry needed to believe in order to live.
I'm glad you liked Minerva, she is a favorite of mine, but I have never really written a scene about her before. Thanks for your review!

handpfeather

2007.08.23 - 11:00PM

1: Return to Hogwarts

Anonymous

I really enjoyed this oneshot. Great characterization of Snape. Loved the exchange with McGonagall - very refreshing. She never gets enough story.

Author's Response: Hi handpfeather, it is nice to hear from you! I am pleased that you liked my Snape/McG dialogue. Severus is my favorite, but I have always liked her too. I found the (necessary) change in their relatoinship in DH sad...